Beyond the Trees
by It's Honesty Bitch
Summary: What happens when Gretal enters the forest alone and unarmed?
It was mid-October, the air not yet to cold, but the wind made Gretal wrap her coat more tightly around her. She did not know where she was walking, nor did she care. She just let her mind wander as her feet seemed to carry her in the direction they chose.

A sudden shadow blocked out the view of the sun, though it quickly returned, before disappearing again. It reminded Gretal of a strobe light. When she looked up, she saw it was only a tree, barren of its leaves from the cold air and approaching winter. Its branches flickered across the sun, toying with the light.

Looking around, the teenager realized it was not one tree, but hundreds, maybe thousands of trees, standing as still as statues, towering over her. She took a step forward, inching towards the path that made a small gap between the crowded sugar maples. The crispy red and orange leaves crunched and crackled under Gretal's boots as she walked past the first few trees.

She had just reached a fork in the road when she heard a soft *clink* against her boot. She glanced down to see nothing but dry dirt and autumn leaves, broken from her footfall. But when she looked closer, she saw that there was something small and metallic that lay among the broken bits; a key. It was an old fashioned, bronze key with a round handle and simple carving at the end. She picked it up, smiled at the odd object, and turned left, following the path.

After many minutes, maybe even an hour, Gretal reached a river. It ran long and narrow, with shallow, crystal clear water. Scattered in the water were large rocks, breaking the surface of the river, shining with a bright, watery sheen. Though that was not all that shone. Wedged between two large rocks was a gleaming, golden chalice. Gretal bent down and plucked the cup from between the two rocks, then emptied the clear, cool liquid from inside. It had a ring of red stones around the cup, and a very detailed stem. It looked expensive… Gretal looked around to see if anyone would claim the cup, but she was alone.

She held the chalice in her hand, and was prepared to hop across some of the higher stones to cross the river, when something seemed to streak across her line of vision. She looked up, and at first saw nothing. Then she met the eyes of a small, motionless orange fox with a fluffy brown tail. No wonder she hadn't seen it at first! Its brightly coloured fur blended almost perfectly with the fallen autumn leaves. A sudden urge to touch the animal's soft looking fur came over her, as she took a step on the nearest rock to make her way across the stream. But she misplaced her foot, and slipped into icy water, startling the fox. Gretal had just looked up to see the fox's dark tail far in the distance.

Red streaked the knee of the girl's jeans and she could taste the foul bitterness of blood in her mouth. Gretal stood up, soaked in freezing water, and fell immediately back down again, pulled by the surprisingly strong current.

Gretal stood again, this time keeping her balance, and began to cross the river, cup clutched to her chest. Trying to concentrate on placing one foot in front of the other did not prepare Gretal for when a sudden rush of breath left her lungs as she fell back on a flat rock beneath the water.

Sitting up immediately, Gretal struggled to breath, coughing up whatever water she had inhaled. She stood up still gasping, and fell forward, clawing at the dry land, trying to pull herself out of the hungry river. When she was finally kneeling safely on the dirt, her coat hanging heavy on her back, she slid the golden chalice into her pocket, hearing metal clink on metal as it connected with where the key rested.

Gretal stood up and began to walk in a direction seemingly chosen at random. After what seemed like hours, the girl stopped. She felt a sudden burst of warmth on her face, a great contrast to the cold autumn night air against her damp clothes.

A small cottage stood in the distance, partially hidden by the trees. Light spread out in the darkness from round windows and the lantern that hung by the front door. She approached the door, moving steadily towards the light like a moth to a flame. The smell of burned matches seemed to surround the small house.

The girl reached for the door handle but only received an unsatisfying clicking noise; locked. She quickly ran her hands along the top of the door frame for a key that might be hidden. Wait… a key! The girl reached into her pocket, searching for a small bronze object, manoeuvring around the golden cup, with no luck. Impatiently, she pulled the chalice from her pocket and found the key sitting within the cup.

The girl smile as she stuck the key into the small hole below the bronze handle and turned it, hearing a satisfying *click*. The door swung open in front of her, revealing a dim, barren hallway. The only source of light she could see came from the small fixtures on the wall and the lantern that hung by the door. The hall had several doorways and ended in what looked like a kitchen. The girl gripped the chalice tightly and turned to the first door on the left.

The small room was completely empty. The beige walls were totally bare, except for the large, rectangular window on the far back wall.

The girl crossed the room in two long strides. She gazed out the window where, beyond the glass stood a small cheerful garden. The moonlit fountain seemed to sparkle, attracting small butterflies with silver wings.

"And what, may I ask, are you doing in my house, young lady?"

The heavily accented voice echoed slightly from behind her. The girl spun around to see a stout old woman hunched over a crooked wooden cane. Her gray hair hung down on her wrinkly, gruesome face.

"I'm sorry, I was just-" The girl glanced back at the window to see the drastic change in scenery. The trees and earth of the garden had turned black, bleeding darkness. Whatever beautiful life had been portrayed in the scene had been consumed by shadow.

Gretal was shocked, turning her head slowly to look at the old woman in front of her.

She swallowed bile, and finished her sentence; "I'm sorry, I was just leaving," the girl said. She ran for the door, only to find it closed, though she did not hear it shut.

The woman smiled hungrily, staring at the girl as though wondering how many bites it would take to consume her completely.

"No need to be rushin' out so quickly, little one. Why not stay for a bit?"

"Oh, no thank you. It's getting quite late."

The woman's eyes narrowed on the chalice in the girl's hand, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned her pale skin a startling white. The girl took a step back and held the golden cup close to her chest.

"That's my cup!"

The girl pressed her back to the cold stone wall, watching as the old woman's face changed in the light, her eyes black orbs radiating darkness, like the trees outside the window.

"Give it to me!"

The girl stared in horror. "What are you?" was all she could muster as her knees gave out and she fell to the floor, though she still held the cup firmly.

The old woman let out a cry of frustration and she lifted her arms, fingers spread wide, as bright and startling lightning shot out from her palms, lighting the room with an eerie glow that shadowed the hag's face, making her seem only more gruesome.

"Foolish human. Do you not know better than do defy a witch?" Her teeth began to sharpen, becoming more canine-like than human. "Such disrespect among mortals these days."

The witch's mouth opened wide; wider than it should have been able too, as though she were unhinging her jaw like a snake. She was pure darkness and evil. "I'd give you another chance to give me the cup," she said in a voice a raspy croak, "but you see, I am quite hungry, and I haven't had a good meal in years!"

The disturbingly mutated old woman lunged at her, and the girl cried out in terror, letting out screams that no one could hear.

 **So let me know what you guys thing**

 **And be honest ;)**

 **Aye**


End file.
